Cable connection.



O. TANGRING.

CABLE CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1906.

949,92 1 n Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

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WRTNESSES INVEB TOR maldbw If? 41/ O. TANGRING.

CABLE CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1906.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITE AT PATT FFIQE.

OLOF TANGBING, or wononsrnn, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR. T0 AMERICANST'EEL a WIRE COMPANY, or WORCESTER, masssonnsn'rrs, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

CABLE CONNECTION.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 191% Application filed June 13, 1906. Serial No. 321,496.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ono)! Tlinonmoaof worcester, Worcester county, Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Cable Gonnection, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Fi re 1 is a vertical longitudinal section show1ng one of my improvedjoints or connections; Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of parts of the-joint;'Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing another form of the joint for larger cables; and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show different forms of'three-way and four-way connectors.

My invention relates to the connectors designed for carrying electric current, especially high tension power currents. The connectors now used are weak in tensile strength as compared with the tensile strength of the cable itself. This requires short spans for over-head cables at the joints which increases the cost of erection.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective connector-whichwill give a joint or connection of substantially as reat a tensile strength as that of the cab e itself. The connection may also be used for under-ground cables or conduit cables, as the joint is eflicient on account of ,low resistance, and the ease and rapidity with which it may be made as well as from its strength. The joint may also be used for cables employed for other purposes thantransmitting electric current.

In the drawings referring to the form of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 2, 2 represent the end portions of cables built up of strands each composed of a suitable number of copper wires. Over each end is sli ed the couplings or sleeves 3 and 4t whic are preferably of phosphor bronze, and are provided with ta ered holes which enlarge toward the butt joint. Into the end of each cable is then driven the wedge shape ring 5 which preferably fits around the central strand and within the outer strands. These rings may be of steel or hard bronze and they serve to force the outer strands against the sleeves 3 and 4 with great pressure. After the ends of the cables are thus prepared, the disk 6 which is preferably of soft annealed cop er is introduced between the ends of the cable This disk fits against the ends of the copper each other by strands, the wedge rings being driven in sufliciently far. to allow this, and the clampmg nut 7 is then slip edover the sleeve 3 and screwed u on the -eeve 4. For this purposeone of t sleeves is provided with a shoulder fitting m inner shoulder on the clamping sleeve, while the other sleeve is ex ternally screw-threaded to receive the internal screw thread of the clamping nut. Both sleeves 3 and t are provided with flattened portions to receive a wrench which are preferably of hexagonal form, and the sleeve is turned with a wrench to give suflicient pressure so that the copper disk will be put under a substantial compression. This compression may be made equal to or more than the tensile or breaking strength of the cable. By this arrangement, when thee able is suspended or is under strain, the joint-is prevented from j pulling apart, since it is as strong or stronger than the cable.

The connectors are also well adapted for soft copper low tension cables, which are laid under ground or in conduits. In such case the parts may be made lighter and less expensive, and the space between the cop r disk and the rings 3 and 4t may be filled with soft solder introduced through a hole 8 in the clamping nut or sleeve after the connector is coupled. This soft solder or composition will exclude air and moisture from the joint, and it may also be done in the case of the suspended cables. This filling, however, is not necessary for holding the joint, this being carried out mechanically by the sleeves and clamping nuts.

In Fig. 4 I show another form of the invention adapted for large connections requiring more pressure than can be applied by the single nut of the first form. In this case the tapered sleeves 3 and 4 are provided with flan es 9 which are drawn toward bolts 10 of which there may be any desirable number, say from four to eight. In this case the outer edges of the flanges are preferably tapered inwardly toward each other to receive the co per ring 11 which is provided with a dou e taper on its inner face. This ring will be clamped by the same pressure applied in forcing the joint together, and acts to protect the oint and also serves as a conductor. The space between the flanges may in this case also be filled with solder through the hole 8. In this case I have shown the copper disk as 35 jolnt may be made easil as shown at 7 having annular ribs around its rim or edge portion which center it on .the cable face.

In Fig. 5, a three-way or Y-shape connection is shown which is specially suitable for transformer work. In this case, I use instead of the copper disk a phosphor bronze casting or member 12' having three threaded necks or portions which are screw threaded to receive the clamping nuts 7". The tapered wedge rings 5 are used as before, and the collar 3 is shouldered so that it will be drawn inwardly by the clamping nut 7". The angle between the branches in this case may be of any desired amount.

In Fig. 6 I show another three-way connection which is of slightly diiferent form than that of Fig'5.

In Fig. .7 I show a'four-way connection which is of substantially the same form as that of F ig. 5, similar parts being marked with similar numerals with the letter d applied. In this figure 3 is the' sleeve, 5 the wedge ring, and 7 the clamping nut. 12 is the phosphor bronze casting or member having three necks or portions which are adapted to receive the clamping nuts such 6 is the soft copper disk which is compressed between the end of each cable and the corresponding end of the phosphor bronze member 12 In all of the forms the holes may be provided for pouring a soft alloy or solder into the joint.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The and rapidly. It gives great strength owing to the forcing out of the cable ends by the wedge rings. The sleeves cannot be pulled off owing to the taper, and heavy pressure can thus be applied. 'lJ-he nut and the bolts apply a pressure giving an eficient joint which may be made asastrong as or stronger than the cable itself.

The material of the several parts may be varied the joint may be used for any kind of cable whether for carrying electric current or not, the copper disk may or may not be used as desired, though some spacing devices should be employed between the ends of the cables. The means for drawing the ends together may be varied, the expanding wedge may be annular or of other form, and many changes may be made without departing from my invention.

I claim 2- A connector for multiple strand electric cables comprising a plurality of sleeves having'tapered bores arranged to receive the ends of the cable, wedging rings having tapered peripheries arranged to receive the central strand of the cable and spread the outer strands against said tapered bores, the ends of the strands and rings projecting beyond the planes of the inner adjacent ends of said sleeves, a spacer of conductor material arranged between the ends of the cable and with which both the strands and the'inne'r ends of said rings engage, and means disposed beyond the bore of the sleeves for drawing the two sleeves toward each other and at the same time forcing the ends of the strands and rings into close contact with said spacer.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. a

@1201? TANGRING.. Witnesses WM. A. BAcoN, 'A. F. BACKLIN. 

